Thyroid hormone (TH) plays an essential role in growth and differentiation of the central nervous system. Deficiency of TH during perinatal period results in abnormal brain development known as cretinism in human. We recently reported that an environmental chemical 1,2,5,6,9,10-α-hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD) suppressed TH receptor (TR)-mediated transcription. To examine the effect of HBCD on cerebellar granule cells, we used purified rat cerebellar granule cells in reaggregate culture. Low dose HBCD (10(-10)M) significantly suppressed TH-induced neurite extension of granule cell aggregate. To clarify further the mechanisms of such suppression, we added brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) into culture medium, since BDNF plays a critical role in promoting granule cell development and is regulated by TH. BDNF completely rescued HBCD-induced suppression of granule cell neurite extension in the presence of T3. These results indicate that HBCD may disrupt TH-mediated brain development at least in part due to a disruption of the T3 stimulated increase in BDNF and BDNF may possess ability to ameliorate the effect of HBCD in granule cells.

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is a member of the neurotrophic factor family. Outside the nervous system, BDNF has been shown to be expressed in various nonneural tissues, such as periodonta...

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is a neurotrophin involved in neurogenesis and neuroplasticity. Decreased blood levels of BDNF have been found during acute manic and depressive states. BDNF h...

Several central nervous disorders are associated with metabolic syndrome (MetS) and type 2 diabetes. Reduction in brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is involved in the mechanism of central nervo...

Panic disorder (PD) is a common psychiatric disorder with a complex etiology, and several studies have suggested that it has a genetic component. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is the most a...

There is sound evidence that quetiapine is effective in the treatment of manic and
depressive episodes associated with Bipolar Disorder (BD) (Yatham et al 2006). However, even
with the dev...

Medical and Biotech [MESH] Definitions

Brain-derived Neurotrophic Factor

A member of the nerve growth factor family of trophic factors. In the brain BDNF has a trophic action on retinal, cholinergic, and dopaminergic neurons, and in the peripheral nervous system it acts on both motor and sensory neurons. (From Kendrew, The Encyclopedia of Molecular Biology, 1994)

Receptors, Nerve Growth Factor

Cell surface receptors that bind NERVE GROWTH FACTOR; (NGF) and a NGF-related family of neurotrophic factors that includes neurotrophins, BRAIN-DERIVED NEUROTROPHIC FACTOR and CILIARY NEUROTROPHIC FACTOR.

Neurotrophin 3

A neurotrophic factor involved in regulating the survival of visceral and proprioceptive sensory neurons. It is closely homologous to nerve growth factor beta and BRAIN-DERIVED NEUROTROPHIC FACTOR.

Glial Cell Line-derived Neurotrophic Factor

The founding member of the glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor family. It was originally characterized as a NERVE GROWTH FACTOR promoting the survival of MIDBRAIN dopaminergic NEURONS, and it has been studied as a potential treatment for PARKINSON DISEASE.